If you can’t do it right – do it anyway. AKA lessons I’m still learning.

Hello friends!  So, I haven’t posted for two WHOLE weeks.  A super no-no in the blogging world, but the bigger fail is the REASON I didn’t blog.

 I was too busy listening to my fraudy, self-doubting feelings.  The more open I am about them, the more I find I’m not alone.  It doesn’t help me conquer those doubts though!

I guess I thought I’d start a blog and have 48,000 readers overnight, waiting to read my every word.

I thought I’d start sharing my stationery and then be beating back the orders.

When these things don’t happen, I give myself a reality check.   I tell myself to show up and do the work.  I know to follow my passion and let the journey unfold.

But what I believe are terrible, cruel messages of inadequacy.  I believe the comfortable ole’ message to quit before I’ve really began.

NOT THIS TIME FRIENDS!  I’m getting a little too old to keep re-reading this same book.  So I put my big-girl pants on, and looked for inspiration about

courage

vulnerability

self-love

kindness

And here’s what some of my modern day she-roes are saying about it:

Glennon Melton aka Momastery

Glennon said on her blog just this week:

“Go forth and be a little jacked up.”

I mean, how can you not love that woman?  I’m still waiting to hear back on our BFF status.

Rachel Macy Stafford aka Handsfreemama

Rachel’s May 10th post entitled “The End of Your Insignifigance” starts this way:

First to get up.
Last to lie down.

First to believe.
Last to give up.

First to offer what you have.
Last to take what you deserve.

Since I work with watercolors, I adore this portrait of Pema created by Lynn Cornish.

Pema Chodron, aka…an amazing and talented Buddhist nun, able to take complex teachings and explain them to the rest of us.” A little lengthy, so I just call her Pema. (My favorite book btw is The Pocket Pema Chödrön)

“Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.”

-The Wisdom of No Escape: How to Love Yourself and Your World

Brene Brown has eclipsed AKA and moved right along to single-name status, like Oprah or Bono.

I am enough indeed!  This theme runs all through Brene’s work, just like all the women featured today.  This powerful statement gives me hope that I’m not not alone, and that every morning I wake up is another day I can practice compassion regarding my own shortcomings.

Imperfections are not inadequacies; they are reminders that we are all in this together.

In fact I just said it this morning, to my lego-obsessed and frustrated four year old:

“It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be fun.”

Which is DIRECTLY lifted from Jon, aka Muffalo Potato.

(Wait, does EVERYONE have a handle but me?) I digress.

Here’s the point.

Not having to be perfect is the mantra I repeat to others but not one that I really feel comfortable believing about myself. The more I share this, the more light I let in, and the more I can be open to changing accepting myself.

Raise your hand if you’re in my tribe.